1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to book stands, and more specifically to foldable book stands. The preferred embodiment more particularly relates to a foldable book stand, or book holder, with a shelf member and a pair of vertical support members that fold flush and ‘snap’ with the main body of the book stand and/or with the shelf, allowing the invention to be used not only as a book stand, but also as a writing board, sketch pad, straight edge, or clipboard. In its folded configuration, the invented book stand is compact in size so that it can be easily stored in a binder, brief case, back-pack, or other storage unit.
2. Related Art
It is well known that most readers place their reading material on a flat surface directly below their line of sight for ease of reading. At this angle, the reader is required to look downward for a prolonged amount of time, possibly causing eyestrain and/or discomfort in the neck. If the reader attempts to hold the reading material they will most likely suffer from additional fatigue in their hands and arms, furthermore hindering their ability to write and type.
As most people are aware there is a long-standing need for such a device as to be able to support a book or magazine at a comfortable reading level, be readily manufactured from inexpensive materials, and be transported easily by a wide variety of users (i.e. students, teachers, typists, and musicians).
There are numerous devices and methods employed in the prior art for the support of reading material. Even though many of these devices are designed for students and teachers and are intended to be lightweight and relatively foldable, most are too large and unmanageable for satisfactory storage and others require numerous steps to assemble. Some of these devices are complex arrangements that require excessive machining and are quite expensive to manufacture.
The present invention is lightweight, compact, aesthetically pleasing in its appearance, and more readily stored in a ring binder or folder than practically all the devices of the prior art. The preferred embodiments of the present invention may be set-up for use and folded for storage with a minimum of motions. The folded book stand may remain in a solid panel configuration of less than 3/16″ thick to function favorably as a clipboard, sketchpad, or straight edge. In addition, the required components are few and simple to manufacture, easily fabricated from inexpensive materials, and can effectively support the weight of heavy books at a comfortable reading level. Some devices of the prior art that fold closed are not well-suited for use as a clipboard or sketchpad, and require excessive components, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,496.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention include features such as a shelf member and a pair of vertical support members that preferably fold flush with the main body of the book stand. The advantage of a shelf member is its capacity to support a wide variety of books and magazines and also retain pages in a consistent position. Most devices of the prior art, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,798, that include shelf elements are disadvantageous in the fact that they require numerous steps to assemble or are either too wide and/or too thick for satisfactory storage in a ring binder or folder.
Numerous devices of the prior art are not well-suited for additional adaptations such as a reading light, a book magnification device, clip, or other visual aid devices. The few devices that are adapted for such an apparatus are too bulky for transport. Three representative book stands that have been suggested in the art are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,852, U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,440, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,117.